Turning and dropping in!!! :) advice is appreciated

[drowningbitbybit]

Getting there

As has been said - keep your weight lower.

And turn with your shoulders - the rest will follow. Point where you want to go - you'll look a bit weird, but it does help.

And lastly, it looks like you had your weight a bit too far back on that wave - hence the board thrashing about underneath you. Crouch down, weight that front foot a bit more, and you should be able to ride out that bit of whitewater.

[TReMoR]

thanks ill hopefully try that out tomorrow.. but.. i was wondering if turning is like a skateboard? lift the front and turn it??? or,,,,

[drowningbitbybit]

A snappy turn means lifting the front, but a slower, less radical turn (like what you should aiming for at the moment) involves weight through the rails turning the board (weight still biased towards the back though).

At this point, you should be turning you shoulders where you want to go - your body will follow, and the weight will go through the feet where it needs to be, without worrying too much about lifting the front of the board just yet.

[joem]

the turn you are looking for should be like cavrving a skateboard as aposed to doing a kick turn

[TReMoR]

thanks for the advice.. i went today.. except i couldnt ride anything for the 50 min i was there... >< i mean yesterday i caught 10 + waves and was having fun with my friend.. today.. i caught none.. i think it is because the waves were bigger... but is there something special to do for bigger waves? the waves had like tiny barrels and my board was being sucked backwards? im not sure whats happening. The waves were only 1 foot bigger than yesterday at 4 feet. >< will i just progress with expirience?

[essex sucks]

sounds like u where padleing to late to me

[garbarrage]

paddling too late and possibly slightly hollower waves which can be tricky to get the hang of. still make a complete hash of it half the time!!!

again paddle earlier a little further from the where the wave's breaking. if it's tipping you forward try arching your back as you take off.

[TReMoR]

i only caught one wave in 30 min >< and i couldnt really turn on that wave can you tell me what im doing wrong? Am i popping up too late?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2IUHVwcHkM

[pkbum]

Change the surf spot, its more like a longboard break. If you're gonna plan on using shortboad, its gonna take you a looooong time to turn and do some trick. I know that for sure. I really recommend getting a mini-mal but if you're like me 1 years ago, poor, car was small, I want to act cool in shortboard. Then its gonna take you at least 2~4 month depending on how often you are going to surf.

[drowningbitbybit]

Ah, I see your problem... you neglected to go to a spot with waves

Those waves were just crumbly mush - no good for surfing a shortboard at all. The period (which also gives you an indication of power) was way too small.

As for technique - slow it down! You're flapping your arms about like a crazed windmill -- much better to be doing a smaller number of good powerful strokes than loads of flapping ones.

Good first try at a duckdive though

[TReMoR]

Ah, I see your problem... you neglected to go to a spot with waves

Those waves were just crumbly mush - no good for surfing a shortboard at all. The period (which also gives you an indication of power) was way too small.

As for technique - slow it down! You're flapping your arms about like a crazed windmill -- much better to be doing a smaller number of good powerful strokes than loads of flapping ones.

Good first try at a duckdive though

haha yes ... a spot with waves... ill try that next time
but then it was like that all around me. There werent any other surfers out because the waves werent good.. im guessing.. but its not like i get to choose the days so im happy with what i get. .
i tried the duck dive because i envy those surfers who glide underneath the water then pop out smoothly from behind while im floudering in the white wash ><

[TReMoR]

Change the surf spot, its more like a longboard break. If you're gonna play on using shortboad, its gonna take you a looooong time to turn and do some trick. I know that for sure. I really recommend getting a mini-mal but if you're like me 1 years ago, poor, car was small, I want to act cool in shortboard. Then its gonna take you at least 2~4 month depending on how often you are going to surf.

haha i was like you 1 year ago.. cept i have no car, only have $30 and my used surfboard i did change spots though.. i used to go to the beach next to it,,.. but i go to the "longboard break" because the waves are more mellow and there are less people staring at me but thankfully, the waves can be realllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyy fun at times too

[surferdude_scarborough]

Ah, I see your problem... you neglected to go to a spot with waves

Those waves were just crumbly mush - no good for surfing a shortboard at all. The period (which also gives you an indication of power) was way too small.

As for technique - slow it down! You're flapping your arms about like a crazed windmill -- much better to be doing a smaller number of good powerful strokes than loads of flapping ones.

Good first try at a duckdive though

agreed. with all of what drowning said.

when you paddle your strokes are too wide, too shallow and too short. to get a good powerful stroke you need to reach out in front of you (not to the side) and pull all the way to the back of your reach. the majority of the power comes from the second half of the stroke so if you are pulling your arm out half way back you are never going to get any power. it doesnt matter if you are paddling fast but as long as you are doing full strokes not little flappy ones. doing big long strokes is how you see people catching waves with only a few paddles.

also those waves suck. you should find some better ones.

on the duckdive, good effort for the first time. i wish my first one was that good. always remember a foot on the tail and to puch the board forwards underwater sort of as you dive towards it. a good duckdive take timing and a lot of practice and a hell of a lot of beatings to get right.

[smallwavegrovellerchick]

Gotta get a tripod for the video camera. I thought you did alright for the conditions. Just think, if you learn how to surf that slop, then open faced, lined up waves will be a breeze.

[gixer]

fair play for putting it up here and asking for advice.......you'll be fine

[TReMoR]

[quote="smallwavegrovellerchick"]Gotta get a tripod for the video camera. quote]

haha ... good advice.. except she records with the lens cap on half the time >< .. my family is horrible with cameras... because my dad loves the zoom function and he seems to zoom until he has reached the end of digital zoom and all he sees is a blur of blue .. it gets pretty annoying but hey.. im happy that they even come with me or let me go

[TReMoR]

oh yea!! my full suit just came in the mail today. haha yes i know... i got it online.. i cant afford body glove .. hahah i got it for $60 dollars ! im so happyyyyyy!! whoo hooo!! no more shivering in the water and feeling like your arms willl fall off i hope that it helps me a little bit because then i dont need to fight the cold and shivering while in the water.

[garbarrage]

fair play for taking the time to put together the videos.... one other little thing that i noticed from the vid that noone mentioned. on your take off you seem to bring your right leg up onto the board around your arm which will make it hard to land centred on the board and you'll lose lateral stability. you should try to bring your leg up through your arms.
only noticed because i had the same problem when i started and was only when a friend pointed it out that i started landing centered on my feet. good news is that its an easy fix just something to be aware of.

[isaluteyou]

i only caught one wave in 30 min >< and i couldnt really turn on that wave can you tell me what im doing wrong? Am i popping up too late?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2IUHVwcHkM

when the waves suck like that its hard to do anything. Nice first attempt at duckdiving though you got the principle now just put some more downward fore into it

[TReMoR]

thanks for all your advice it really helps
one problem that i need to fix is my BALL-LESS NESS in split second decisions i mean sometimes i catch waves and I actually realize that if i stand up then ill slide down the face and has a chance of making a turn.. but i think that.. and then i kind of get to a pushup and im not exactly sure what happens from there.. my body kind of shuts down and im just waiting to slide down in that weird push up position which results in me falling off and tumbling around underneath the water. Literally this is what im thinking, "oh i need to stand up.. i need to stand up...", then then i miss my chance. I dont know.. does that sound really really weird and dumb? Maybe its too much thinking. I want to correct this problem by saturday, when i go surfiing again. I can't stop thinking about it and it really bugs me. Especially because I can only go once or twice a week.